Paper stamp card or digital stamp card?
The paper card has worked for decades, and for some shops it is still the right choice. Here are the differences, including the ones in paper's favour.
Updated · 3 min read · Written by Klipz
What the paper card does well
- It is cheap. A print run and a stamp, and you are away.
- Everyone understands it. Nothing to explain and nothing to sign up for.
- It needs no phone, not even for customers without a smartphone or who would rather not use one.
If you want to start on paper, you can make your own with our free stamp card template and print ten on an A4 sheet.
What the paper card can't do
- It gets lost. It is in another jacket or a drawer at home when the customer is at the counter.
- It can be copied. A stamp can be bought online, and a card can be filled at the kitchen table.
- You don't know who has it. You can't see who your regulars are, or who has stopped coming.
- It can't say anything. You can't remind a customer that they are one stamp away, or tell them there is fresh bread.
What a digital card does differently
A digital stamp card sits in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet on the customer's phone, so it is there whenever the phone is. You stamp by scanning the card's QR code with your own phone, and the card updates at once.
- It counts itself. On the last stamp Klipz tells you the customer gets their reward, and the card starts over.
- It can't be copied. Every stamp comes from your scan, and you can set a wait between two stamps.
- You see who comes back: your regulars, the new ones and those who have drifted away.
- You can write to your members with a message on their phone or an email to those who said yes. Near the shop the card can come up on the lock screen with a message you write.
What the digital card needs
- The customer needs a smartphone. Most have one, but not all.
- The first time takes a little longer. The customer scans the QR stand and enters their email, a code we send, and their first name. After that it takes two seconds at the counter.
- It costs a little. At Klipz 5 kr per filled card, no fixed monthly fee, but a minimum in a completely quiet month. See what it costs.
| Paper | Digital | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Printing and a stamp | 5 kr per filled card at Klipz |
| Left at home | It happens | It is there when the phone is |
| Can be copied | Yes | No |
| You know who the customer is | No | Yes, first name and email |
| You can send a message | No | Yes |
| Works without a smartphone | Yes | No |
Which should you choose?
If you have few regulars and just want to start today, paper is fine. If many come back, or you want to know who they are and be able to write to them, the digital card is worth the trouble. You can also run both for a while: let the paper cards run out, and give new customers the digital one.